LEJOG day 53: Drymen to Rowardennan

After three days spent pounding pavements, or at least trudging on tarmac, I spent my day off yesterday napping, eating and being very determinedly sedentary. The half-mile walk into town was enough to prove to me that my legs were not fully recovered from their endurance test.

This morning dawned- not that I knew it, with two layers of blackout blind between me and the outside world, which was blissful- with a torrential downpour. The forecast was very clear in predicting that this would continue all day in both Drymen and Rowardennan, and this coupled with my left leg still feeling generally not-quite-right was sufficient excuse to walk the B-road rather than climb Conic Hill (and all the tree-trunks littering the route) for a wet and limited view of Loch Lomond.

I was delighted to find a pavement runs the entire length of this B-road, presumably purely down to people like me who don't want to climb hills. It was a little muddy places but it was there, and I loved it for that. After a very not-strenuous 4 mile walk into Balmaha, I stopped for tea and a scone in a café in an attempt to dry off, and then when it was clear that wouldn't work, put all my wet cold horrible waterproofs back on and headed back out into the downpour.

It was at this point that I met Anthony, a nurse from Ireland, and we launched into one of those everything-bad-about-healthcare conversations that immediately lifts the spirits and makes you feel like you've bumped into an old friend. We flew through the remaining 8 miles, arriving at the Youth Hostel half an hour before check-in, and now that I'm warm and dry and my boots are off the Loch looks atmospheric in the ongoing rain - on the other side of the double glazing.

Distance walked: 12.62 miles
Time taken: 4h01
Percentage completed: 75.3%
Miles to go: 279
Miles per £1 of boot: 6.01
Lunch: cheese and pickle sandwiches, crisps and a capri sun
Last night's B&B: Mulberry Lodge, Drymen: blackout blinds and also a very comfy bed and great breakfasts- both the French toast and the full cooked breakfast



I didn't take many photos because it rained so hard- this one is the odd colour you get from taking photos with a phone camera through double glazing

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